Save Hillend Dry Ski Slope March 9, 2010
Posted by j-bar03 in : General , add a commentDear all
Please see the email below and click on the link if you would like to sign the online petition to help prevent the closure of Hillend Ski Slope Midlothian.
As you may know Active schools use this facility regularly to give children the opportunity to learn to ski locally at an affordable cost and it would be a great loss if the centre is not saved.
If you click the link below it literally only takes 5 seconds to complete!
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/savehil…
Emma Biggart
Active Schools Coordinator (Primary)
Prestonpans Cluster
Longniddry Primary School, Kitchener Crescent, Longniddry, EH32 0LR
(t) 01875 853161
(m) 07976377956
ebiggart at elcschool.org.uk
Visit www.activeschoolseastlothian.co.uk for more information on Active Schools East Lothian.
P Think Green! Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail or its attachment(s)
From The Times
February 12, 2010
Olympians’ anger as council says it can’t keep ski slope going
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(James Glossop/The Times)
Alain Baxter, left, and Finlay Mickel at Hillend yesterday
Paul Forsyth
The threatened closure of Scotland’s most famous dry ski slope has prompted a joint protest from two of the country’s top skiers.
For 45 years, the Hillend slopes on the outskirts of Edinburgh have been a significant landmark, helping a number of talented athletes on to the world stage. Alain Baxter and Finlay Mickel, who have both represented Great Britain at the Winter Olympic Games, were so shocked by reports that it could be shut down as early as next month that yesterday they lent their voices to a growing campaign against the closure proposals.
Hillend’s owners, Midlothian council, has indicated that it can no longer afford the annual subsidy of £500,000 that keep the slopes going, and say that the complex could be out of business within weeks.
With this year’s Winter Olympics starting today, the timing could hardly be worse. In Vancouver, Andy Noble, a Scottish slalom specialist in the Great Britain team, will add his name to the 29 Olympians whose technique has been honed on the slopes of Hillend. Not least among them is Mickel, a 32-year-old born and bred in Edinburgh, whose bib from the 2006 Turin Games hangs on the centre’s “wall of fame”.
He was only two years old when he first skied there. Now retired, he was in Britain’s alpine team for 13 years, and finished 10th at the 2005 World Championships, the best result by a British man in the event’s history. None of it, he says, would have been imaginable without Hillend. “That’s where the dream started,” says Mickel. “That’s where I first thought about being an Olympic skier. And it’s where I went, day in, day out, to pursue that dream. If you want champions, you need the facilities.”
At 450m, Hillend’s main run is the second longest dry slope in Europe. “It is the best ski slope in the UK by a long, long way,” says Mickel. “So to lose it would be terrible, not only for Edinburgh and the Lothians, but for the whole of Britain.”
Baxter, 36, who excelled in the slalom before his retirement last year, was brought up in Aviemore, but attended summer camps at Hillend during his teenage years. “I used to really enjoy those weeks,” he says. “And I’m sure they helped me along my way. There are lots of little dry slopes in Scotland, but Hillend is the monster, a pretty challenging hill. It’s one of the only ones you can do giant slalom on. It’s such a great place. It would be a real shame if it went down. It’s something I never thought would happen because it’s been there my whole life.”
The Midlothian Snow Sports Centre, as it has been officially titled since the growth in popularity of snowboarding, is enjoyed by more than just the sporting elite. Families from all over Scotland visit the slope by way of preparation for their skiing holidays. Thousands of school children visit the centre every year, with tubing parties popular on its nursery slopes. The floodlights that serve to extend its opening hours have become a familiar sight from vantage points across the city.
“It would be a massive loss,” says Mickel. “Councils are in a very difficult position right now, but it’s such a big part of Edinburgh’s sporting heritage. For 45 years, it has stood proud on top of the Pentlands, looking down on Edinburgh and the Lothians. I can’t imagine not seeing it there. How weird would that be? To look up and not see that slope giving a chance to so many kids. It upsets me even to think about it.”
Business at Hillend has been brisk lately, but Midlothian Council is faced with making £18 million of budget cuts. Since admitting last year that it was struggling to maintain the slope, the local authority is understood to have failed in its search for a buyer. Sportscotland, the national sports agency, could now be asked to step in and save a centre that only three years ago was supposed to be the subject of a £4 million revamp.
The threat of closure has concentrated minds. Since a Facebook group, called “Stop Hillend Closure”, was set up just a few days ago, more than 6,000 people have joined the online protest. Mickel insists that there must be other options available to the owners. “Hopefully we can get through to the councillors. We need to find out how they have got themselves into this situation, and what the solution is. Maybe the centre will have to be streamlined, but keeping the main slope running as it is now must be the main focus. We need to find a way to secure the future of our sport, and the more people that get behind this cause, the better.”
FREE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STAFF & PARENTS February 23, 2010
Posted by j-bar03 in : General , add a commentPlease see details below of up-coming FREE training courses that Active Schools are running to equip staff / parents with the skills and confidence to run fantastic physical activity sessions.
Experience is not essential and session plans are included in most of our courses.
Ready Steady Bike (P5 pupils) - Usually delivered in Term 3
An introduction to safe cycling through games and practice.
Ideal preparation for their Scottish Cycling Training Scheme award in P6/7
Session plans included!
16th March 9.30 - 12pm
Meadowmill Sports Centre
Mini Kickers (Nursery to P3 pupils)
A fantastic course that will teach you how to deliver fun football sessions to young children. Allows children to work on their basic motor skills and their emotional, personal and social development.
Session plans included!
18th March 4.30 - 6.30pm
Windygoul Primary School Tranent
Run Jump Throw Athletics (For all ages)
A new and modern approach to teaching athletics. It is an introductory course that helps you to experience the skills of running, jumping and throwing and offers guidance for volunteers that will be working with 5 - 16yr olds.
23rd March 6 - 8.30pm
St Gabriel’s RC Primary, Prestonpans
Please contact me on the details below if you are interested in attending any of the courses mentioned above.
Many thanks
Emma
Emma Biggart
Active Schools Coordinator (Primary)
Prestonpans Cluster
Longniddry Primary School, Kitchener Crescent, Longniddry, EH32 0LR
(t) 01875 853161
(m) 07976377956
ebiggart at elcschool.org.uk
Kayaking February 22, 2010
Posted by j-bar03 in : General , add a commentDear all
We still have 3 spaces left for P6-7 Beginners Kayaking
Starts this Friday 1 - 3pm at Levenhall Links.
Children will be working towards gaining Paddlepower Awards over the courser of 5 weeks with a fully qualified Outdoor Education Instructor.
Children are also allowed to work at their own pace as the award goes from Level 1 - 4 and is judged on an individual basis.
Classes are £25 for the 5 week block
To reserve a space for your child in the class please email me or call me a.s.a.p on the details below.
Many thanks
Emma Biggart
Active Schools Coordinator (Primary)
Prestonpans Cluster
Longniddry Primary School, Kitchener Crescent, Longniddry, EH32 0LR
(t) 01875 853161
(m) 07976377956
ebiggart at elcschool.org.uk
Jogscotland community classes February 5, 2010
Posted by j-bar03 in : General , add a comment
Active Schools Community Classes January 18, 2010
Posted by j-bar03 in : General , add a comment
Dear Parent/Guardian,
Please find information overleaf regarding the fantastic after school activities that are on offer to your chil this term.
If your child is interested in attending any of these, please complete and return the slip below along with any payment to your school office in a sealed envelope marked: FAO Emma Biggart, Active Schools Coordinator
Cheques should be made payable to East Lothian Council and separate cheques should be written for each class. Where places have not been allocated cheques will be destroyed.
Any classes paid for with cash must be for the exact amount as we are unable to hold any petty cash money. Any refunds will be raised through East Lothian Council’s Finance Department and can take up to 28 days to process.
As always discounts are available to Leisure Pass Plus card holders. To take advantage of this discount please contact me on the details below to confirm the revised amount.
Please note that all classes are limited and on a first come first served basis and you will only be contacted if your child does not have a place.
Also note that this contact may be made by text message so please provide a mobile number that is used regularly.
Please ensure your child wears appropriate footwear and clothing and brings drinking water to the session.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me on the details below.
Thank you,
Emma Biggart - Active Schools Coordinator (Prestonpans)
ebiggart@elcschool.org.uk / 01875 853161 / 07976377956
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Active Schools After School Clubs Term 2
My child__________________________________(name) School____________________________Class_____
Would like to attend the following classes (please tick) -
Community Cluster Classes
P3-7 Port Seton Hockey £12 Mini Kickers (Nurs) £8 Badminton P4-5 FREE
Nurs Melody Bear (Tues) £15 Mini Kickers (P1-3) £8 Badminton P6-7 FREE
Nurs Melody Bear (Fri) £12 Football Training and Games (P4-5) £8 P4 - 7 Hip Hop Club (Wed) £15
PL Basketball Club P4-7 £15 Football Training and Games (P6-7) £8 P1 - 3 Dance Club (Wed) £15
Junior Jogscotland P5-7 FREE G.O.T.G Multi Sports P5-7 FREE Nursery Dance (Wed) £15
Contact No:_________________________________Mobile No________________________________________________
Emergency No______________________________________________________________________________________
Medical Conditions___________________________________________________________________________________
I give/do not give permission for my child to appear in Active Schools promotional materials or footage (please delete)
I have enclosed the correct amount for the classes £____________ (cash / cheque)
My child will be walking home / collected inside the venue (please delete)
Signature___________________________________________________________________________________________
|
| Active Schools Prestonpans - Community Clubs |
Active Schools are running the following community clubs in and around the Prestonpans area.
|
Day |
Dates |
Age |
Time |
Venue |
Activity |
Class Details
|
Cost |
|
MON |
25th Jan - 29th March (5 weeks)
|
P3 - 4
P5 - 7 |
4 - 5pm
4 - 5pm |
Port Seton Community Centre | Hockey | Port Seton Hockey Club are now inviting P3 pupils to attend their regular sessions and matches.
Training includes skills and goalkeeping with regular matches. Open to Boys and girls. |
£12 for 8 weeks |
|
TUES |
19th Jan - 23rd March (10 weeks) |
Nursery | 2.15 - 3pm | Port Seton Community Centre | Melody Bear Dance | Melody Bear Dance is an imaginative dance class with music and fun! | £15 for 10 weeks |
|
|
2nd Feb - 30th March (8 weeks) |
P4 - 5
P6 - 7 |
4.15 - 5pm
5 - 6pm |
Preston Lodge High School Games Hall | Badminton | Fun games and coaching. Come along and play your friends in this relaxed fun class! Open to boys and girls. | FREE |
|
|
19th Jan - 30th March (8 weeks) |
Nursery
P1 - 3 |
4 - 4.45pm
5 - 6pm |
Preston Lodge High School - Small Hall | Mini Kickers | Fun football games and skills with Emma Stewart qualified football coach.
Open to boys and girls. |
£8 for 8 weeks |
|
WED |
20th Jan - 31st March (10 weeks) |
Nursery
P1 - 3
P4 - 7 |
3.45 - 4.30pm
4.30 - 5.15pm 5.15 - 6.15pm |
Prestonpans Community Centre | Dance
Dance Hip Hop / Street Dance |
Laura Reynolds is running the Active Schools Community Dance classes. Dance and movement with fun and lots of music will run for Nursery - P3 pupils and for the P4-7 class the latest Hip Hop and Street Dance moves will be taught.
The classes are guaranteed to be crammed with the latest music and energetic dance moves. We are looking for both boys and girls to join this community club! |
£15 for 10 weeks |
|
THUR |
21st Jan - 1st April (10 weeks) |
P5 - 7
GIRLS |
4 - 5pm | Preston Lodge High School | Girls on the Go - Multi Sports | ‘Girls on the Go’ is a special club for P5-7 girls where they get to choose what they do at their very own club! Activities can include gymnastics, dance mats, badminton, aerobics, yoga and many more! | FREE |
|
|
28th Jan - 25th March (8 weeks) |
P4 - 5
P6 - 7 |
4.15 - 5pm
5 - 6pm |
Preston Lodge High School | Football Fanatics! | Relaxed sessions that are half skills training and half matches. Open to Boys and girls. | £8 for 8 weeks |
|
FRI |
29th Jan - 26th March (8 weeks) |
Nursery |
1 - 2pm | Prestonpans Infant School | Melody Bear Dance | Melody Bear Dance is an imaginative dance class with music and fun! | £12 for 8 weeks |
|
|
15th Jan - 26th March (10 weeks) |
P4 - 7 | 1 - 2pm | Preston Lodge High School | PL Basketball Club - U12 league | Mark Stevenson is running training sessions to train players for the East Lothian U12 Youth League matches. Come along for skills, games and lots of fun! | £15 for 10 weeks |
|
|
29th Jan - 26th March |
P5 - 7 | 1.15 - 2.15pm | Preston Lodge High School | Junior Jogscotland | Volunteer Tracey will be running this fantastic community jogging club to improve pupils stamina through fun games and training exercises. Come along if you want to train for a fun run and meet new people! | FREE |
National Parent Forum January 18, 2010
Posted by j-bar03 in : General , add a comment<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Verdana; panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:536871559 0 0 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:”"; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} @page Section1 {size:595.3pt 841.9pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –>
As part of my work with the National Parent Forum, I was invited to and attended an Introductory Event with our new Education Secretary in December.
Some 160 delegates from several education sectors attened the event and all seemed keen to throw questions at Mike Russell and Andy Inghram (MSP), who was also in attendance.
The points raised varied from how will the budget cuts affect all those working with and taught by the Scottish education system, to wanting to be involved at the earlier planning stages rather than after changes have been implimented.
Thank you to those who sent me questions to raise, although I was never given the opportunity to ask these in person. I have since asked these directly to Mr. Russell and shall reply to those who asked these questions as soon as I receive the answers.
Here is a quote from Mr. Russell -
“Becoming a teacher was a long term career ambition for my father. He realised his ambition in the 1960s during one of the ‘booms’ in the ‘boom and bust’ teacher recruitment cycle that Scotland has been plagued with for far too long. A cycle which we must bring to an end.
“For the last 20 years of his working life he taught in a variety of schools with commitment and enthusiasm. However, one of his observations was about listening. He felt that the real knowledge of what schools needed to do lie not in civil servants, not in educational administrators, not in councillors or ministers, and not in trade unions. It lies in the classroom, however, nobody listened to the classroom.
“Well I want to listen to the classroom. I also want to listen to parents and children. I want to listen to classroom assistants, auxiliaries and janitors, and those who help out in myriad ways in every one of our schools. This is the way in which I want to engage and communicate with all our sectors, from pre-school to further and higher education.
“To do so, we need new means of direct conversation. That is why I have asked my officials to develop a direct line of communication for me, as Cabinet Secretary, for Adam as the Minister for Children and Early Years and for Keith, Minister for Schools and Skills. This may be a website where comment can be left, ideas suggested and criticism made. But whatever it is, it will be for those who don’t presently think they are heard. Those who have ideas and thoughts. Those who know what they are talking about.
“And I will guarantee that these voices will be listened to. As ministers we will pay heed. And we will make sure the best of this new thinking improves everything we try and do. So if you have a suggestion that will make a difference - join in!”
We may be inviting Mr. Russell to our next NPF meeting, which will take place on 6th March in Glasgow - I will advise you if this is going ahead or not.
Kind Regards and happy new year to you all,
Robert Herschell
TAKING FORWARD CURRICULUM FOR EXCELLENCE January 18, 2010
Posted by j-bar03 in : General , add a comment8 January 2010
Dear Colleague
TAKING FORWARD CURRICULUM FOR EXCELLENCE
The beginning of a New Year is traditionally a time to reflect on the achievements of the past and look forward with hope, ambition and imagination to what we can accomplish in the coming year. I wanted to write to you to offer my thanks to you and everyone working in our schools and other establishments for your work over the past year and to set out our plans for ensuring that you are reassured and equipped to take forward Curriculum for Excellence in the remainder of the academic year.
I firmly believe that Scottish education does its job well. This is due to the skills and talents of all those involved in educating our children, young people and adult learners. I also believe that we can do better by making better use of those skills and talents. I am fully committed to the principles and values of Curriculum for Excellence. Curriculum for Excellence is needed to ensure that Scotland has an education system that promotes and supports the highest possible standards of attainment and achievement. It is also necessary to ensure that our young people have the skills and knowledge they need for learning, life and work and to be prepared for life in the 21st century.
Thanks to the support of everyone involved in the education community, from those working on the Curriculum for Excellence Management Board to those adopting the new approaches in pre-school centres, schools, colleges and the wider education sector across Scotland, we have made good progress over the last year in taking forward Curriculum for Excellence.
The Experiences and Outcomes for the new curriculum were published in April 2009. Together with the framework for learning and teaching contained in Building the Curriculum 3, these set out the structure of the new curriculum. Building the Curriculum 4 - Skills for learning, life and work Schools was published in October 2009
The Scottish Government announced future arrangements for National Qualifications in June 2009. The new arrangements will build upon the Experiences and Outcomes and so ensure that National Qualifications support the new curriculum. This was followed in September 2009 by the publication of our strategic vision for assessment for Curriculum for Excellence.
The publication of the Framework for Assessment later this month concludes the process of establishing, for the first time, an agreed framework for learning that applies to all sectors and stages. It has been achieved by extensive consultation and engagement with a very large number of practitioners and I believe we have a remarkable degree of unanimity about the principles underpinning our education system.
Our next challenge is to work together to ensure these principles are widely understood and effectively implemented for the benefit of all learners. I am committed to the principle that you, the practitioners, are best placed to make decisions about how to work with learners and their parents to improve learning outcomes. However, I also recognise that you will need advice and support and to share and learn from emerging good practice. I am equally committed to ensuring that detailed arrangements, for example in relation to assessment and qualifications, will improve national standards and are workable.
A great deal of good work is being done locally and nationally to support implementation.
As part of this process I want to take the opportunity to give you a road map for the period from now until June 2010 which will give you an indication of the level and nature of support at national level which you can expect and which will be augmented by locally led activity within your own authorities.
The focus will be on practical support for the three main strands of Curriculum for Excellence on which the high level principles have now been set out:
Curriculum - You are already beginning to work with the Experiences and Outcomes for each of the curriculum areas to improve learning and teaching. There is a range of support for staff on the Curriculum for Excellence website http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/curriculumforexcellence/sharingpractice/supportforstaff/index.asp and from now until June 2010 there will be additional material as detailed on the timeline. Working with partners and stakeholders, Learning and Teaching Scotland will also provide materials to support school managers and staff in the planning process and there will continue to be events to support understanding. I recognise that one of the key challenges teachers now have is answering the many questions from parents and reassuring them that the very best is being done for their children. Quite rightly parents want to hear this from those teaching their children and that is why we are making a toolkit available later this month which will provide you with the resources needed to talk to parents, explaining what is happening and why.
National Qualifications -The Scottish Qualifications Authority and its partners are currently undertaking the detailed development and implementation work for the new and revised qualifications. The first element of that work is to convert the broad statement of policy made by my predecessor in June 2009 into a set of operational design principles that will underpin the development of the qualifications. SQA and the Curriculum for Excellence Management Board are close to the end of that process.
As with any new qualifications, SQA is ensuring that the teaching profession and stakeholders are fully involved in the qualifications design teams that will help develop the new Literacy & Numeracy and National 4 and 5 qualifications and the review of existing Access, Higher and Advanced Higher qualifications. Positive engagement with you is a critical factor in SQA ensuring the success of the qualifications development and implementation.
Their engagement model will involve a wide range of groups and individuals, including informal quality assurance groups. Regular updates on this work will be available from the SQA website - www.sqa.org.uk/curriculumforexcellence
There are nine Curricular Area Review Groups with membership from nominated strategic stakeholders, such as the teaching unions and associations, LTS, HE/FE, employers and parents. These groups will work on the vision, skills and principles required for each curriculum area. Each curriculum area has engaged with local authorities, colleges and other interested groups involving over 400 practitioners.
Assessment - The Framework for Assessment will be published in January together with an associated paper on quality assurance and moderation. The Framework for Assessment develops the main areas of our assessment strategy: standards and expectations; assessing progress and reporting and monitoring standards. LTS will hold a series of events in January and February to support your understanding of the framework. Beginning at the start of the summer term you will be provided with assessment exemplars. These exemplars will show pupils’ work assessed by practitioners against the standards and expectations. The examples will be in the priority areas of literacy and numeracy across all curriculum areas and health and wellbeing. Examples will be provided of every curriculum level and will provide illustrations of the three aspects set out in the Framework - the application, breadth and challenge of learning. They will explain how you move from the experiences and outcomes to judgments about how much or how well pupils have learned. From mid September, staff will have access to the new online National Assessment Resource.
We have already provided an additional 3 in-service days focussed on the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence. I am also persuaded of the need to provide a further in-service day. I am therefore pleased to confirm that this will be available in the summer term to provide you with the quality time that I recognise is essential to support implementation. My expectation would be that this day would be dedicated to gaining a clearer understanding of the requirements for assessment and the new quality assurance and moderation processes which will be set out in the Framework for Assessment. This is in addition to the substantial proportion of current in-service and other Continuing Professional Development activities for educational professionals which focus on the enhancement of learning and teaching in addition to assessment.
I have asked the Curriculum for Excellence Management Board to review progress and report its findings to me as we work towards full adoption of Curriculum for Excellence. I am also visiting schools, nurseries, colleges and universities to see at first-hand the progress which is being made.
Curriculum for Excellence will support the education community to improve learning and teaching, raise standards and enhance the life chances of our children and young people. I am confident that the package of work that I have described in this letter will give you the support that you need to use your skills and talents to improve Scottish education. I am looking forward immensely to working with you to make a success of Curriculum for Excellence and offer my best wishes for the year ahead.
MICHAEL RUSSELL MSP
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning
Resources between January and June 2010 to support full adoption of curriculum for excellence by August 2010
| 2009 | |
| December | Design principles for new literacy and numeracy qualifications agreed
Assessment Community Seminars (involving all Local Authorities) |
| 2010 | |
| January | Building the Curriculum 5
o Assessment Framework published o Seminars |
| Communication with parents: a suite of materials to support practitioners to communicate with parents. | |
| Exemplification to support learning and teaching across all the curriculum areas will be published throughout this period. Examples in this month include:
o Literacy across learning o Interdisciplinary learning in secondary o Literacy in Gaidhlig case studies |
|
| February | Building the Curriculum 5
o Follow up events Curriculum Management and Organisation o Case studies for early years, primary and secondary |
| Publication of research on Recognising Achievement | |
| 16+ Learning Choices - Working in Partnership event (2) | |
| March | 16+ Learning Choices - Working in Partnership event
Exemplification to support learning and teaching will include o Early years DVD for Gaelic Online |
| April | Exemplification to support approaches to assessment, in literacy and numeracy and health and wellbeing
Curriculum Management and Organisation o Case studies for early years, primary and secondary |
| Exemplification to support learning and teaching. Examples will include
o the Senior Phase |
|
| Building the Curriculum 5
o Follow up events |
|
| CPD resource on parental involvement | |
| Design principles for National 4 and National 5 qualifications agreed | |
| 16+ Learning Choices - Policy and Practices Framework | |
| May | Exemplification to support learning and teaching and assessment:
o Numeracy across learning |
| o literacy and numeracy
o health and wellbeing o Moderation. |
|
| Building the Curriculum 5
o Follow up events |
|
| Additional in-service day for all teachers | |
| June | Exemplification to support learning and teaching: Examples will include
o Health and Wellbeing illustrations o Further Interdisciplinary learning Activity Agreements for all young people in 10 pilot areas. Strategy for Careers Information, Advice and Guidance |
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT UPDATE JANUARY - MARCH 2010 January 18, 2010
Posted by j-bar03 in : General , add a commentWelcome back to the new term and best wishes to you all for 2010. I would be grateful if this update could be shared with all your Parent Council members.
CLUSTER MEETINGS
We have a very busy term ahead with our annual round of Cluster Meetings which will be held in our 6 Secondary Schools and are chaired by our Executive Director of Education & Children’s Services, Mr Don Ledingham.
Councillor Peter MacKenzie, Convenor of the Council Committee for Education, together with Provost Sheena Richardson, and myself will be in attendance.
As previously requested, we invite Parent Councils to submit Agenda items. These should be sent by your Clerk together with a note of who will be attending, at least 3 working days in advance of your Cluster meeting, to enable the Agenda to be finalised and distributed prior to the meeting. Agenda items to be sent to the Parent Council mailbox please;- parentcouncil@eastlothian.gov.uk
For your information, I note below the various dates and locations of these Cluster Meetings. They have proved to be very successful in the past providing the opportunity for two members of your Parent Council to join the panel and have any questions/issues, addressed/answered. A Minute is taken of each meeting and will be circulated to all Parent Councils as well as being placed on our website.
19 January 2010 Musselburgh Cluster Musselburgh Grammar School Library
26 January 2010 Dunbar Cluster Dunbar Grammar School Library
2 March 2010 Prestonpans Cluster Preston Lodge High School Library
9 March 2010 Haddington Cluster Knox Academy Library
16 March 2010 Tranent Cluster Ross High School Library
30 March 2010 North Berwick Cluster North Berwick High School Library
The meetings will start at 7pm/8.30pm.
If it is not convenient to attend your own Cluster Meeting then please select a date/venue that is convenient to you to enable your Parent Council to be represented.
EAST LOTHIAN ASSOCIATION OF PARENT COUNCIL MEMBERS MEETING
The next meeting of our Association takes place on Tuesday 9 February, 2010, in Conference Rooms 1 & 2, John Muir House. Once again, two representatives are invited to attend from each Parent Council. Can all Agenda items please be sent, as previously requested, by the Clerk to the Parent Council mailbox, no later than noon, on Friday 5th February, 2010 to enable the Agenda to be finalised and distributed prior to the meeting. Parent Council mailbox;- parentcouncil@eastlothian.gov.uk
As agreed by the Parent Council members present at an earlier Association meeting, Ruth Briggs, North Berwick High School Parent Council, will now Chair our meetings.
TRAINING PROGRAMME
The Training Programme for this term has just been finalised and will be sent out to you. I trust you will appreciate that we have limited the training available due to the heavy calendar of meetings which are due to take place this term. However, if there is any further training that you consider urgent please email your request to the Parent Council mailbox and I will look into the possibility of adding it to our programme this term.
parentcouncil@eastlothian.gov.uk
NATIONAL PARENT FORUM
At a recent East Lothian Association Meeting, Robert Herschell, Wallyford Parent Council, was selected to be the parent representative for East Lothian in taking forward the national body to support Parent Councils. Robert attended the first planning meeting in Glasgow in November, following which he prepared an update which was circulated to all Parent Councils. He also recently met as part of the National Parent Forum Group with Mike Russell our new Cabinet Secretary, and again has kindly prepared a further note which will be circulated with this update. Robert will be speaking at our next ELAPCM Meeting on Tuesday, 9th February 2010 and we look forward to hearing further from him on this important matter.
PARENT COUNCIL CONFERENCE
I am delighted in inform you that we are planning to hold our first Conference for Parent Councils on Wednesday, 24 February, 2010, from 6.30pm/8.30pm at Musselburgh Grammar School.
We have put together an exciting programme and do hope you will find it both interesting and informative. Further details will follow shortly but two places will be available for each Parent Council and once again these should be booked by your Clerk, via the Parent Council inbox;- parentcouncil@eastlothian.gov.uk
WEBSITE
We are currently updating the Parent Council page on the website and I have been informed that it will be uploaded by the end of January. Further information and latest news will be available from this point at;- www.eastlothian/gov.uk/parentcouncils
Val McIntyre
Principal Officer
Department of Education & Children’s Services
East Lothian Council
01620 827228
parentcouncil at eastlothian.gov.uk
Free Training - Parents & Teachers Needed March 10, 2009
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Active Schools are always looking for new volunteers to sign up and help us keep children fit and healthy by encouraging more of them to participate in physical activity! Here in the Prestonpans Cluster, we would like to see more parents and teachers getting involved in our programme and to do this we are offering FREE training courses in the following activities…
Run, Jump, Throw Athletics! (P1-7) Run, Jump, Throw training gives leaders the confidence in teaching the basic skills in Athletics. This training will help teachers with their PE delivery or a parent volunteer gain the skills required to run a small after school club! Training Night - Tuesday 24th March 6 - 8.30pm Windygoul Primary School, Tranent
Scottish Cycle Training Scheme (P6/7) Formerly know as Cycling Proficiency, SCTS training equips parents / teachers to deliver a cycling programme to P6/7 children that teaches them the importance of safe cycling, enables the children to practice handling skills on their bike and also have fun! Next Training - Wednesday 1st April 4 - 6pm Kings Meadow Primary, Haddington
Outdoor Team Challenge (P4-7) Learn to deliver fun outdoor sessions with the children that encourage team work and problem solving! Session plans are ready made to make planning easier! Next Training - Thursday 23rd April 5.30 - 7.30pm Longniddry Primary School
Junior Jogscotland (P3-7) Join Jog Scotty in an attempt to encourage more children to get into jogging! Classes are full of games to improve fitness whilst having fun through games and challenges! Training will equip teachers / parents to have the confidence to deliver safe fun sessions and maybe even start a jogging group at your local school! Next Training - Wednesday 29th April 6-8pm Windygoul Primary School, Tranent
Funky Fun (P1-2) Funky Fun was developed by Active Schools East Lothian to engage P1-2 children in fun physical activity. Take a trip to the enchanted kingdom, go to the jungle with Mowgli or visit the Olympics!! These are just a few of the exciting sessions that are pre-planned to make classes simple to plan. Classes engage children’s imagination and are packed with fun, games and music! Training Night - Monday 11th May 6 - 8.30pm East Linton Primary School, Dunbar
If you care about getting more children active at your school then please contact me on the number/email below for any more information.
Your school needs you!
Many thanks
Emma Biggart
Active Schools Coordinator (Prestonpans Cluster)
Key March/April Dates March 10, 2009
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| Date | Event |
| Friday 6th March | P5 Cake Sale |
| Monday 9th-Friday13th March | P7 Camp |
| Tuesday 10th March | P6 Art Project |
| Wednesday 11th March | Rugby Taster Session for P6 |
| Friday 13th March | P4 & P5 Rugby Taster Session |
| Monday 16th March | P7 Dental Inspection
P5G First Club Golf |
| Tuesday 17th March | P7 Dental Inspection
P6 Art Project P7 Group Photos |
| Wednesday 18th March | Rugby Taster Sessions for P7
First Club Golf for P4/5W and P5PD |
| Friday 20th March | Rugby Taster Session for P4 and P5
Comic Relief Event Day |
| Monday 23rd March | First Club Golf P5G |
| Tuesday 24th March | P6 Art Project |
| Wednesday 25th March | East Lothian Rugby Tournament at Meadowmill for P7 and some P6 (am)
First Club Golf for P4/5W and P5PD |
| Thursday 26th March | P7 Parents Event - BBC Project |
| Monday 30th March | First Club Golf for P5G |
| Tuesday 31st March | Easter Assembly |
| 1st April | Cross Country at Dunbar - selected children from P6 and P7
First Club Golf 4/5W and 5PD |
| 3rd April | End of Term |
| 20th April | Start of Summer Term |